Knit golf club cover

ABSTRACT

The golf club cover is formed of an elongate knit seamless sleeve which is open at one end and includes inner and outer plies. A draw string is knit into the end portion of the inner ply and the inner ply is rolled outwardly and downwardly over the outer ply and drawn inwardly to close one end of the sleeve and form an enlarged knob-like roll closure on the closed end of the golf club cover.

United States Patent [1 1 Shuford 1 Apr. 17, 1973 [541 KNIT GOLF CLUB COVER 2,038,398 4/1936 Wengen ..2/201 3 O69 O21 l/l937 Schuessler..... [76] lnventor: Archie W. Shulord, P. O. Box 427,

Hic ory, N-C 2860] 3,263,682 8/1966 Rosenfield ..66/l 70 X [22] Filed: Dec. 27, 1971 Primary ExaminerDavis T. Moorhead Appl. No.: 212,194

Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney-Paul B. Bell 5 7 ABSTRACT The golf club cover is formed of an elongate knit seamless sleeve which is open at one end and includes inner and outer plies. A draw string is knit into the end portion of the inner ply and the inner ply is rolled outwardly and downwardly over the outer ply and drawn inwardly to close one end of the sleeve and form an enlarged knob-like roll closure on the closed end of the golf club cover.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures KNIT GOLF CLUB COVER This invention relates generally to knit covers for elongate objects, such as golf clubs and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a golf club cover of the type provided with a knit pattern having yarn floats extending between inner and outer plies of the cover so that the inner ply prevents the club head from engaging the pattern yarn floats. The golf club cover is provided with an enlarged knob-like roll closure which is formed by folding the inner ply outwardly and downwardly over the outer ply and gathering the same tightly around the outer ply.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a knit golf club cover wherein one end of the cover may be closed in an economical and simple manner, without requiring sewing, to provide an enlarged knob-like roll closure thereon.

The enlarged knob-like roll closure of the cover provides an attractive ornament, somewhat resembling a pom-pom, a convenient means for readily removing the cover from the golf club, and means for retaining one end of the golf club cover in the pocket of the user while the club is being used so that it may be easily returned to the golf club head.

In the preferred form, a ring of knit material is positioned inside of the downwardly rolled end of the inner ply of the cover to increase the size of the knob-like roll.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of the knit seamless blank from which the knit cover is formed and illustrating one type of knit and float pattern which may be used;

FIG. 2 is a view of the knit seamless blank illustrated in FIG. I but in everted position;

FIG. 3 is another view of the knit blank shown in FIG. I with the lower end portion being drawn up inside of the upper end to provide inner and outer plies and with a ring of knit material positioned thereabove;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to the upper end of FIG. 3 but illustrating the ring of knit material being positioned around the upper end of the outer ply;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the upper end of the inner ply being rolled outwardly and downwardly over the upper end of the outer ply and the ring of knit material;

FIG. 6 illustrates another step in forming the golf club cover and illustrating the gatheringtogether of the upper end by means of the draw string to close the upper end and form the enlarged knob-like closure thereon;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the manner in which the draw string is drawn, wrapped around the upper end and tied to complete the knit cover; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through the portion of the knit cover shown in FIG. 7 and illustrating the manner in which the upper end ofthe outer ply is rolled outwardly and downwardly and secured over the upper end of the inner ply and the ring of knit material.

The knit golf club cover illustrated in FIG. 1 is preferably knit on a circular hosiery knitting machine of the type having upper and lower axially aligned needle cylinders, adapted to knit either plain or rib fabric and to form patterns of the knit and float type. The

seamless golf club blank is preferably knit from bottom to top in FIG. 1 and knitting begins with the usual make-up courses. A draw string I0 is then inlaid in the knit fabric in the usual manner. The lower or initial portion of the blank is preferably knit with a 2X2 rib pattern. The lower portion of the blank, up to the dashdot line 11 is preferably knit with the same color yarn and of a relatively non-elastic yarn. The area between the dash-dot line 11 and a dash-dot line 12 preferably has some type of elastic yarn incorporated therein so that the tubular sleeve is drawn inwardly. The elastic yarn may be in the form of a textured synthetic yarn which is knit in plated relationship with the non-elastic body yarn utilized in knitting the lower portion of the sleeve, below the dash-dot line 11. Also, a covered elastic yarn may be inlaid in the knit fabric.

The area between the dash-dot line 12 and a dash dot line 13 is preferably knit with a knit and float pattern with two colors of yarn being selectively knit in the well known manner so that when one yarn is knitting the other yarn is floating inside of the fabric to form fairly long floats, as indicated at F in FIG. 2. The golf club cover is usually provided with a pattern including a number indicating the club with which the particular cover is adapted to be used. Above the dash-dot line 13, a single yarn is knit to form a plain fabric tubular portion at the upper end of the golf club cover blank. When a sufficient length of this plain fabric has been knit, the blank is completed and may be joined to the next successive golf club cover blank by a separating thread or, in certain cases each blank may be dropped from the knitting machine as knitting is completed.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the lower end of the elongate seamless sleeve is drawn up inside of the upper end so that the lower end forms an inner ply, indicated at 15 and the upper end forms an outer ply, indicated at 16. The inner ply I5 and the outer ply 16 are thus integrally knit and joined together along a fold line at the lower end of the sleeve, as indicated at 20 in FIG. 3, the approximate location of the fold line being located at the dash-dot lines 20 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The upper end of the inner ply 15 is preferably drawn upwardly above the upper end of the outer ply 16, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and a sleeve or ring of knit material 21 is folded and positioned around the upper end of the outer ply 16, as indicated in FIG. 4. The upper end of the inner ply I5is then rolled outwardly and downwardly over the upper end ofthe outer ply l6 and encircles the knit ring 21 so that the draw string 10 is positioned beneath the sleeve 21. The draw string 10 is then drawn tight, as illustrated in FIG. 6 and wrapped around the lower end of the outer ply 15 to form an enlarged knob-like roll knob R. The draw string I0 is then tied, forming a knot, as illustrated in FIG. 7 so that the upper end of the golf club cover is closed and is provided with an enlarged knoblike roll R formed thereon.

The enlarged roll R serves to provide an attractive ornamentation onthe upper end of the golf club cover, also provides a convenient handle" by which the golf club cover may be easily removed, and provides a means for retaining the end of the golf club cover in the pocket of the user, while the golf club is being used, so that the cover will not drop out of the pocket and become lost. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the portion of the outer ply 16 which contains the elastic or yarn,

between the dash-dot lines 11 and 12, tends to draw the fabric inwardly at this point so that when the cover is placed on a golf club head, this neck" portion contracts around the shaft portion of the club to thereby aid in retaining the cover on the golf club. Thus, the enlarged knob-like roll R is formed in an economical manner and does not require a manual sewing operation.

The knit cover of the present invention thus comprises an elongate knit seamless sleeve which is open at one end and includes an inner ply l5 and an outer ply 16. The inner and outer plies are integrally knit and are joined along a fold line at the other end. The inner ply 15 extends up inside of the outer ply l6 and covers the floats F so that the golf club head will not engage them as the cover is drawn down on the club head. The upper end of the inner ply 15 is rolled outwardly and downwardly over the upper end of the outer ply 16 and over the ring of knit material 21. The draw string 10 gathers the inner ply l5 inwardly and is wrapped therearound and tied to complete the closure without requiring a sewing operation.

In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed is:

1. A knit cover for elongate objects, such as golf clubs and the like, said cover comprising an elongate knit seamless sleeve open at one end and including inner and outer plies, said inner and outer plies being integrally knit and joined along a fold line at said one end of said sleeve, the other end of said inner ply being rolled outwardly and downwardly over the other end of said outer ply, and means associated with said other end of said inner ply for drawing the same inwardly and gathering the same tightly around said outer ply to close said other end of said sleeve and form an enlarged knob-like roll closure thereon.

2. A knit cover according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said outer ply includes a knit pattern of yarn floats extending between said plies so that an object placed inside of said cover will not engage said floats.

3. A knit cover according to claim 1 including a ring of knit material positioned inside of the outwardly and downwardly rolled end of said inner ply and above said drawing means to increase the size of said knob-like roll closure.

4. A knit cover according to claim 1 wherein said drawing means comprises a drawstring integrally knit with said other end of said inner ply, said draw string being wrapped around said other end of said inner ply and tied.

5. A knit cover according to claim 1 wherein a medial sectional portion of said outer ply includes elastic yarns to draw said medial sectional portion inwardly around theshaft ofa golf club placed in said cover. 

1. A knit cover for elongate objects, such as golf clubs and the like, said cover comprising an elongate knit seamless sleeve open at one end and including inner and outer plies, said inner and outer plies being integrally knit and joined along a fold line at said one end of said sleeve, the other end of said inner ply being rolled outwardly and downwardly over the other end of said outer ply, and means associated with said other end of said inner ply for drawing the same inwardly and gathering the same tightly around said outer ply to close said other end of said sleeve and form an enlarged knob-like roll closure thereon.
 2. A knit cover according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said outer ply includes a knit pattern of yarn floats extending between said plies so that an object placed inside of said cover will not engage said floats.
 3. A knit cover according to claim 1 including a ring of knit material positioned inside of the outwardly and downwardly rolled end of said inner ply and above said drawing means to increase the size of said knob-like roll closure.
 4. A knit cover according to claim 1 wherein said drawing means comprises a drawstring integrally knit with said other end of said inner ply, said draw string being wrapped around said other end of said inner ply and tied.
 5. A knit cover according to claim 1 wherein a medial sectional portion of said outer ply includes elastic yarns to draw said medial sectional portion inwardly around the shaft of a golf club placed in said cover. 